Technology Review 285

Sonic Sieve
Booth 2741 – The GA-6 Gilsonic AutoSiever provides sonic sieving of powders. A vertically oscillating air column gently passes particles through the mesh openings, and added tapping helps clear screen-blinding and deagglomerate samples with adhesion problems. Fine-particle separation down to 5 µm can be achieved using 3-in. sieves. Maximum sample quantities are 10 g for particles <38 µm and 20 g for larger particles. The memory can handle up to 10 programs.
Gilson Company, Inc., Lewis Center, OH 740-548-7298 www.globalgilson.com

Flow Controller
Booth 2507 – Available for system capacities from 250 to 6200 scfm, the completely redesigned Kaeser Flow Controller (KFC) creates more-effective storage by accumulating compressed air in the receivers and only delivering air that is needed for production. The unit responds rapidly to fluctuating demand and actively maintains constant system pressure downstream. More-stable air pressure helps eliminate artificial demand and reduces air losses through leaks. Stored compressed air can now be used to satisfy air demand spikes without pressure drop at the point of use. The KFC can be easily installed in new or existing systems without reconfiguring existing piping.
Kaeser Compressors Inc., Fredericksburg, VA 800-777-7873 www.kaeser.com

Vibrating Hoppers
Booth 3727 – This line of fully assembled, self-contained, ready-to-operate vibrating hoppers promotes flow of any dry material. Capacities range from 3 to 100 cu ft of storage. The live bin is designed to provide positive discharge of micron-sized to fibrous and flaky materials on a first-in, first-out basis, assuring mass flow and eliminating material segregation. The hoppers may be used to discharge to any feeder or process line or wherever a surge bin is required. Because the live bin’s design does not require a flexible seal, it is especially suited for sanitary applications.
Vibra Screw Inc., Totowa, NJ 973-256-7410 www.vibrascrew.com

Container-Loading System
Booth 2627 – Fast filling of sea and land containers with maximum payload is possible with the SwallowTail container loading system. This high-capacity system uses TransFlow Stinger technology and is used for loading pigments and other difficult-to-handle materials. The two types of container loaders offered are stationary and portable designs. Both are used to fill 20-, 30-, and 40-ft-long lined sea and land containers at filling rates of 40,000 lb/hr or more.
Young Industries Inc., Muncy, PA 800-546-3165 www.younginds.com

Pneumatic Batching and Blending System
Booth 1005 – This in-line pneumatic batching system performs simultaneous weigh batching of major ingredients that are supplied in bulk bags. It also dumps preweighed minor ingredients manually and blends the material while a subsequent batch is accumulated. Each of the bulk bag dischargers is mounted on load cells, allowing loss-of-weight batching from either bulk bag or both bulk bags. A system controller starts and stops each discharger’s rotary airlock valve to weigh ingredients. Minor preweighed ingredients are added at the manual dumping station after the major ingredients have been discharged from the bulk bags. The vacuum conveyor line terminates at a filter receiver above a blender.
Flexicon Corp., Bethlehem, PA 888-353-9426 www.flexicon.com

Vibratory Separator
Booth 1204 – The MX is a new-generation separator with design features to increase safety, provide a stronger construction, and allow for a more sanitary process. The totally enclosed weight guard prevents “reach-in” injuries and complies with CE standards. The unit features conical construction rather than flat plates, creating a more rigid geometric structure. The open-base construction allows for cleaning underneath the unit, preventing dirt and product buildup from occurring.
Sweco, Florence, KY 800-807-9326 www.sweco.com

Moisture Control System
Booth 2518 – The maximum amount of water left in dried products can be safely controlled using the patented Delta T moisture/water activity control system. The graph shows that improved moisture control enables the mean product moisture content to be increased without exceeding the upper specification limit for moisture and water activity. The critical water activity value (aW) establishes the safe upper limit for moisture content. It is applicable in such industries as food, animal feed, grain, corn, wet milling, fuel alcohol DDGS, dry pet food, pharmaceuticals, etc. Gains in production, unit energy conservation, product quality, and safety are achieved.
Drying Technology Inc., Silsbee, TX 409-385-6422 www.moisturecontrols.com

Metal Detector
Booth 2629 – The Phantom HL-AT metal detector is certified with ATEX compliance for use in hazardous location zones 21 and 22 per Directive 94/9/EC. The approval validates the detector’s intrinsic safety in potentially explosive dust atmospheres typically found in powder handling plants. The detectors are now available in gravity units for free-falling bulk product or in standard horizontal units for products transported via conveyor. The HL-AT is ideal for use in hot industrial environments with temperatures up to 122ºF.
Fortress Technology Inc., 888-220-8737 Toronto, ON, Canada www.fortresstechnology.com

Agitator Hopper
Booth 1613 – A U-shaped agitator hopper is designed to feed various irregular-shaped ground-plastic regrinds with bulk densities from 2 to 5 lb/cu ft. The two counter-rotating plow-type agitators keep the light, interlocking material from bridging or ratholing above the horizontal discharge screw. A variable-speed drive on the discharge screw allows the system to discharge material from the agitator hopper at a flexible rate. The equipment utilizes automatic and manual controls. In automatic mode, a remote signal initiates the starting and stopping sequence. An operator platform allows easy access to the manual controls and cleanout access doors.
NBE Inc., Holland, MI 616-399-2220 www.nbe-store.com

Rotating Drum Magnet
Booth 2704 – Rotating drum magnets are designed for continuous self-cleaning of ferrous materials from product flow streams. As product enters the housing inlet, an adjustable feed gate meters the flow of product to the drum face. The drum has a stationary internal magnet with an outer drum that rotates. When product passes over the powerful magnetic field, ferrous materials are attracted to the drum surface, where they are safely held on to until the material passes through the magnetic field, at which point they are discharged to the rear of the drum housing. Cleaned filtered product is discharged to the front of the drum housing.
Puritan Magnetics Inc., Oxford, MI 248-628-3808 www.puritanmagnetics.com

Sieve Shaker
Booth 2741 – The Performer III 3-in. sieve shaker is ideal for the separation of small samples of fine particles. A high-frequency, 3600-vpm, electromagnetic, vibratory action separates small samples of chemicals, minerals, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, abrasives, foods, and other fine powders. Features include assembly for up to seven 3-in. metal sieves and pan or 14 acrylic sieves and pan, quiet operation, on-off controls for vibration, a manual/timed mode switch, and a digital timer.
Gilson Company, Inc., Lewis Center, OH 740-548-7298 www.globalgilson.com

Shaft/Coupling Alignment
Booth 2621 – The Aligneo laser shaft-alignment tool aligns horizontal machines quickly and economically. It is easy to use with dedicated keys for dimensions, measuring, and results. It checks for soft foot, stores and prints alignment files with free PC software, and is waterproof, dustproof, and upgradable. Better alignments save bearings, mechanical seals, couplings, and gears. Reduction in maintenance costs can increase profitability. Smoother-running rotating equipment can contribute to energy savings.
Ludeca Inc., Doral, FL 305-591-8935 www.ludeca.com

Chemical Imaging Analysis Software
Booth 2415 – ISys 5.0 is the latest version of the company’s chemical-imaging analysis software. Used for analyzing chemical imaging data, ISys is powerful and flexible, and ideal for use on a variety of analytical systems. It handles everything from basic preprocessing to statistical analyses and pattern recognition algorithms, chemometric tools, and, more recently, domain (particle) analyses. It turns images to answers for a variety of chemical imaging techniques, providing one software platform that can be used to analyze many different kinds of data. The ability to analyze mapping and imaging data from mid-infrared and Raman platforms is now extended to include the near-infrared spectral range as well. Data from Kaiser, Horiba Jobin-Yvon, Renishaw, Witech, Varian, Thermo, Bruker, PerkinElmer, and Chemimage mapping and imaging platforms can all be imported.
Malvern Instruments Inc., Westborough, MA 508-768-6400 www.malvern.com

Turbine Vibrators
Booth 2607 – These turbine vibrators have the same single-bolt body style as ball vibrators. Rugged, ductile iron units requiring no lubrication, they are ideal for the most demanding applications. The acetal-bodied turbine vibrators are suitable for cleanrooms. The label is etched so there is no chance for contamination. All exposed parts are Type 304 stainless steel, and they require no lubrication. They feature state-of-the-art CNC machining and are very quiet—with noise volumes below OSHA standards. They have a longer life than ball vibrators, and the acetal body is FDA and USDA compliant for food applications.
The Cleveland Vibrator Co., HK Technologies, Cleveland, OH 800-221-3298 www.clevelandvibrator.com

Quick-Take-Apart Airlock
Booth 2628 – This tool-free, quick-take-apart airlock features a heavy-wall all-cast-stainless-steel housing with outboard mounted bearings and a nine-blade bevel-tipped rotor that provides superior sealing and a more defined powder discharge. The airlock also has an exclusive rotor microadjust mechanism that allows for rotor interchangeability, air-purge seals that seal against a hard-chromed seal journal, and an easy-slide rotor-assist mechanism. The unit is USDA dairy accepted and suitable for chemical, food, and dairy applications.
Savel Tech, Centerville, MN 651-653-5098 www.Saveltech.com

Screener and Fluid-Bed Dryer System
Booth 1224 – This self-contained circular vibratory screener and fluid-bed dryer system removes oversized and undersized material, and dries on-size material. The prepackaged system scalps and de-dusts 2500 to 3000 lb of bulk material per hour using a double-deck, 30-in.-diam circular vibratory screener. The system then dries the material in a 40-in.-diam circular vibratory fluid-bed processing system. The screener is equipped with an imbalanced-weight gyratory motor that vibrates the screening chamber that is suspended on springs. Oversized particles travel in controlled spiral pathways from the center of the upper screen to a spout at the screen’s periphery where they are discharged for reprocessing. On-size particles falling onto the lower screen travel in controlled spiral pathways to an extended spout at the screen’s periphery that leads to the fluid bed drier. Undersized material passes through the lower screen onto an integral metal chute and through a third spout for reprocessing.
Kason Corp., Millburn, NJ 973-467-8140 www.kason.com

Density Separator and Classifier
Booth 1015 – The De-Stoner is used to separate and classify a wide range of materials. Energy-efficient vibratory action and high-velocity, low-pressure airstreams work in tandem to fluidize and stratify commingled materials according to differences in terminal particle velocity. Many of these systems are designed with “air curtains” to provide further separation after the initial cut of “heavies.” The result is fast, efficient removal of these from lightweight materials.
General Kinematics Corp., Crystal Lake, IL 815-444-3572 www.generalkinematics.com

Moist Granulator
Booth 3841 –The G 1/100 moist granulator is a modular unit that provides throughputs up to 500 kg/hr and includes cylinders with bores between 1 and 6 mm. The unit produces dimensionally stable granules and aids in the homogenization of products. It is designed for convenient cylinder changing and cleaning without special tools.
Alexanderwerk Inc., Horsham, PA 215-442-0270 www.alexanderwerkinc.com

Bag Placer
Booth 1214 – The TRV1000 can place bags on multiple machines and be mounted in multiple positions. With a small footprint to facilitate placement in tight surroundings, the unit is also customizable to specific applications. Benefits include direct labor savings and improved personnel scheduling and utilization. The unit’s dust- and water-resistant design maximizes durability.
Taylor Products, Division of Magnum Systems, Parsons, KS 888-882-9567 www.magnumsystems.com

Transfer Container
Booth 2025 – The Dustainer transfers dusty waste directly into roll-off landfill containers without secondary handling or subjecting employees to material contact. It is self-contained with a vacuum pump, filter-receiver, dispersing auger, and hydraulic lift bonnet that seals the landfill container. After collection in the filter-receiver, material moves through a rotary valve into a disbursing auger that fully and evenly loads the container. Signaled by a high-level alarm, water spray nozzles soak the surface to stabilize the dust. A hydraulic lift breaks the seal between the bonnet and container, allowing employees to safely tarp the container for transport without exposure to dust particulate.
Advanced Bulk & Conveying Inc., Greenville, PA 724-588-9327 www.advancedbulk.com

Roller Gates
Booth 3645 – Avail­able in a variety of configurations, including rectangular sizes and round inlet and outlet transitions for added functionality, these roller gates handle dry bulk material in gravity-flow applications where positive material shutoff and dust-tight sealing are required. They can be used for many dry-material applications, including mixing and blending. They can be applied to shut off or meter the flow of fine and moderately abrasive powders and small to large granules or pellets. They also handle sticky materials and horizontal or vertical valve orientation. The gates are ideal for the food, cement, chemical, plastics, and textile industries. The gates feature live-loaded wear-compensating seals that prevent materials from escaping into the bonnet area of the gate. These seals are easily replaced without removing the valve from the processing line.
Vortex Valves North America, a division of Salina Vortex Corp., Salina, KS 785-825-7177 www.vortexvalves.com

Spark Detector and Suppressor
Booth 4700 – The Flamex system detects and suppresses sparks in pneumatic ductwork before they can reach dust collectors or storage bins. Systems are installed in thousands of facilities in numerous industries including food processing, rubber, agricultural, coffee, woodworking, plastics, and metalworking.
Flamex Inc., Greensboro, NC 336-299-2933 www.flamexinc.com

Particle-Size Analyzer
Booth 1937 – The Gradex 3000 particle-size analyzer provides fully automatic sieve analysis for the gradation of aggregate material. It reduces the need for additional manpower and the amount of technician time required to perform testing. Ideal for classifying materials such as sand, gravel, or crushed stone, the patented, PC-controlled unit provides analysis and a complete data printout. Test and product quality are improved, and operator error is virtually eliminated. With the AutoFeed feature, technicians are free to perform other work while up to six samples are tested automatically. The operation of the unit is so automatic that it can be used at the point of the sample in the production line, enabling operators to perform the analysis right on the plant floor and use the results immediately without waiting for a laboratory test response.
Rotex Global LLC, Cincinnati, OH 800-453-2321 www.rotex.com